LIVE.LAUGH.LOVE.

Get Over Yourself - You're Nothing Special

By Amanda Chouinard • February 1, 2016

I can't tell you, how many times I've been shown or told this in my life(friends, family, partners, bosses, strangers etc). I'm nothing exceptional in terms of looks or intelligence. I view life as most people do-get a job, live and then eventually die...perhaps have a relationship,some kids and hobbies to pass the time.

What's depressing more than accepting I'm nothing exceptional...is the fact at 38, I've pretty much accomplished all the mediocre things I'm supposed to do in my life-the limited societal viewpoints that I chose to live by..."Don't dream", "Don't strive to be special","Don't do what you want-that's foolish".. be what society wants you to be *average*...'cause that's ALL YOU'LL EVER BE.

Ok... now what? I thought being safe would carry me to my deathbed...SIGH..funny how life drags on SO SLOWLY when you fear to dream. Fear to find opportunity, and give in to other people's expectations of you. Society KEEPS INSISTING if you're not born special, that 1% of the population that is exceptional and *gifted* then you ideally are-NO ONE SPECIAL. Perhaps they're RIGHT.

Well I have no desire to end my life(my kids would be upset!)...so I GUESS I'll take a new viewpoint on life. Life is FOR LIVING. Not just a menial thing we do. I'm just discovering who I am, who I've ALWAYS been. I've shed the blinders that I put on myself...

To SEE...

I have many special talents! Through my mediocre life, I actually found it HARDER to block out who I REALLY AM(I just kept IGNORING the signs). The funny thing with finding your life purpose(that makes you psychologically & emotionally energized and refreshed)...is you realize...it not only makes you EXCITED about life-your viewpoints change. What makes me different today, than even two years ago...or 20 years ago? I see opportunity where before I saw risk. I was so afraid of failure, I denied myself the right to be young, silly...and most of all to DREAM. I spent my whole life being afraid of trying something new. I USED other people's negative perceptions, which are CLOSED MINDED OPINIONS determine my destiny.

The SADDEST part - is I have only MYSELF to blame...I ALWAYS had the choice. It doesn't matter WHAT EXCUSES you run in your head, or what psychological or physical restrictions you have or life responsibilities(kids, bills etc)...

There is NO REASON you have to accept a boring unfulfilled life.... without finding your passions in life, what's the point of living?!? What sort of regrets will you have on your deathbed?

I'm TIRED of giving in. I'm TIRED of giving up on myself....MOST OF ALL, I'm tired of letting others DEFINE me or my life. Where there's a WILL, there's a way...if you're like the 1% WILLING to see life as an ADVENTURE rather than a stale destination....then you ARE SPECIAL and don't let ANYONE tell you otherwise!!!!

So I ask ♡YOU♡ What are YOUR PASSIONS? What brings you joy? What do you dream of becoming or doing? You are never too young or too old to start dreaming and growing into the person you want to be....UNLESS like me before, you're filling your time *waiting* til you keel over and die?